


The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

by DinoDina



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Drabble Collection, F/M, Holidays, M/M, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-04
Updated: 2017-02-04
Packaged: 2018-09-21 23:52:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 4,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9572420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DinoDina/pseuds/DinoDina
Summary: Snapshots of the Torchwood team during the holiday season, centered around Jack and Ianto, and Owen and Tosh.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written/posted on ffn from 12-01-16 to 12-31-16.

The radio had been playing holiday music since November, but now that it was December, Jack got into the spirit—Ianto didn't approve of premature celebration, and Jack had eventually caught on.

He'd gone out and bought tinsel and started looking for where to buy a tree. They'd use fairy lights and ornaments from previous years, but Jack knew that he'd buy ornaments to celebrate his and Ianto's first official Christmas together, anyway.

Jack had wanted to buy a radio into the Hub, but Owen had put his foot down, even if Gwen had backed him up.

Jack looked at the charge on his credit card. Ianto usually handled his expenses, but he'd done this one himself and wanted it to be a surprise. Satisfied with his planning and purchases, Jack leaned back in his chair.

Now to actually ask Ianto to spend Christmas together…


	2. Chapter 2

In mid-November, Gwen asked for December 2nd off. Jack had raised his eyebrows at her firmness, but had agreed. Nothing, bar the end of the world, would see her at work that day.

When December 2nd rolled around, she, as promised, stayed in bed, snuggling close to Rhys at the same time as her alarm was supposed to ring. Rhys, who had gotten used to waking up with her, mumbled something, but neither woke up.

It was only when the clock struck ten that they woke up.

Rhys looked at her. "Aren't you in today, Sweetheart?"

Gwen giggled. "Of course not! We're putting the tree up today, remember?"

"And Torchwood respects holiday traditions, then, does it?"

"It's respecting this one." She kissed him with finality. "Now where's that tree?"


	3. Chapter 3

Ianto waked over to Tosh from the kitchen, and placed something down on her desk. Ianto's back was to Jack's office, but he had a good view of Tosh's face; Jack saw her raise an eyebrow in question and Ianto reply by inclining his head.

Gwen was next, and Jack saw her face light up. At a sign from Ianto—it had to be a sign, Jack knew, because Gwen would never do so naturally—she kept her excitement quiet.

Even Owen, when Ianto went down to him, cried out, "Already?" followed by a demure "Cheers, mate."

Jack leaned back in his seat when he heard Ianto come up the stairs, trying to look casual. Ianto walked in. Jack watched carefully as he approached, and smiled when Ianto placed his coffee mug on his desk, finally understanding everyone else's excitement.

It was December third, and Ianto had brought out the holiday mugs.

The season had officially begun.


	4. Chapter 4

There were children outside Ianto's flat, running around, playing, trying to build a snowman. It was way too early in the morning for them to be up, in his opinion, but it was the first snow of the season and he supposed that they were due some excitement.

He took a sip of his tea and sighed contentedly as a pair of arms settled around his waist. A head lowered onto his shoulder and a soft kiss was placed on his cheek.

"Morning, Jack."

"Good morning." Jack accentuated the sentiment with another kiss. "Look… it's snowing."

"I noticed," Ianto pointed out wryly. He took Jack's mug off the windowsill. "Tea?"

"Thank you." Jack took the mug and leaned closer against Ianto's back, looking at the falling snow.


	5. Chapter 5

Tosh was in the kitchen, searching for some of the Christmas cookies that Ianto would bring in close to the holiday, when she heard a clutter. Now, random noises of chaos were normal in the Hub, but this one… this one came from the vicinity of her desk.

Cookie in hand—she would not be denied it, damn it—she stormed towards her workstation.

There was no one there, and all she could see was a slightly crumpled paper and a shard of a plate. She looked around, puzzled.

"No!" The not quite yell from the direction of Jack's office startled her. "You _will not_ put up mistletoe everywhere in an attempt to get Tosh and Owen together!"

She lowered her head and sighed.

_As if it would ever work…_


	6. Chapter 6

"Mistletoe," Owen pointed up.

He'd interrupted her, but that didn't really matter now. Here he was, here she was. Looking up, she echoed, "Mistletoe."

"Wonder how it got here," Owen said quietly. The mistletoe was right above them in a small alcove, almost completely out of sight.

"It's fine," Tosh was already saying, flustered, blushing. "It's just a game, and there's no one here, so… Let's not mind it, right? Let one-offs be one-offs, you know? No need to make this a tradition. You don't have to—"

"But I want to."

December 6th quickly became one of Tosh's favorite days.


	7. Chapter 7

Jack bounded across the frozen Plass to Ianto, just barely managing to skid to a stop and avoid knocking him over. He grinned breathlessly, face red from exertion and the cold from the falling snow.

Jack's coat was buttoned to his neck, but he wasn't wearing gloves or a scarf, unlike Ianto, who, if he was bundled up more, would have been unrecognizable.

Jack grabbed Ianto's gloved hands from his pockets and tried to drag Ianto into the snow. Ianto, despite the smile on his face at Jack's antics, protested.

"It's cold, Jack!"

"It's winter!" Jack returned. "That's the point!"

Ianto pouted. "Jack…"

"Fine." He moved aside Ianto's scarf and placed a large, warming kiss on Ianto's unsuspecting lips. "We can go inside how."


	8. Chapter 8

Ianto had gone out with Owen on an alert. With the Weevils back in the sewer, they were driving back, Owen grumbling about the songs playing on the radio.

Ianto sighed. "I _can_ turn them off, you know."

"…completely inappropriate, a bunch of useless drivel, if you ask—huh?" he paused, only now hearing Ianto's question. "No, it's… uh, it's fine."

Ianto looked at him questioningly, but didn't push it further. It wasn't until five minutes later, when he saw Owen tapping a finger along to the music, that Ianto got an idea. He turned the volume up a notch to see if he was correct.

Owen, possibly without even knowing it, started bopping his head.

Ianto turned the volume up again, surprised to note that Owen was mumbling along to the words. He grinned. "I never pegged you for a caroler."

Owen stopped and cleared his throat, clearly embarrassed. "Yeah, well…"

Ianto widened his smile. "I won't tell, I promise."

And joined in with the singing.


	9. Chapter 9

Jack looked down at Ianto, asleep with his head in his lap. He brushed Ianto's hair; it was soft from the lack of gel, and curling slightly. They were on the couch—they often ended up there after a long day, because it was homey and comfortable—and Ianto had fallen asleep several minutes ago.

Jack didn't want to wake him, so had thrown a blanket over him. Ianto would wake up in an hour or two, and per Murphy's Law, they'd have to go to the Hub.

Now, though, they had a moment of peace. Jack could see snow falling outside—of course, it was the middle of December!—and could almost picture the crackling of a fireplace. Ianto didn't have a fireplace, sadly, so the coziness was lost.

But a quiet afternoon together was the next best thing, if not better.


	10. Chapter 10

Ianto stared in disbelief at the woods. He and Jack had driven out after a Rift Alert on Jack's wriststrap had woken them up, and now they were in the middle of nowhere, some thirty miles outside the city.

In from of them were trees—and more trees behind those trees, because they were facing a forest—and behind them was the road.

Ianto didn't take his eyes off the small lights twinkling between the snow-covered branches. "Faeries?"

"No," Jack whispered back. "Rift energy. Rift opened, nothing came out, so these are just little hiccups."

"Looks like faeries." Ianto relaxed and pulled his coat tighter around himself. "The good kind, I mean. They're pretty."

Jack nodded.

* * *

 

Ianto looked over to the driver's seat. "Are you singing It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year?"

"…yes?"

"It's 'wonderful time', Jack, not 'magical time'," he pointed out.

"Oh." Jack frowned. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"Can I still sing it?"

"Yeah."


	11. Chapter 11

Jack grinned like a satisfied cat as he handed Ianto a wrapped present. It was still two weeks until Christmas, so the present was unexpected, and Ianto showed his surprise with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"It's nothing bad, I promise," Jack said before Ianto had the chance to comment, and nudged the present. "Come on, open it."

Ianto gave him another dubious look, but did as told. Gingerly, he peeled away the tape that held the wrapping together. Once he was done, he folded away the paper itself, much to Jack's annoyance; he was quicker and much messier, which seemed to him to be more practical.

Eventually—it seemed like a lifetime to Jack, but no one was asking him—Ianto took off the paper and opened the small parcel it had covered.

He stared and lifted, with no small amount of trepidation, Jack's present, holding it with two fingers. He felt the need to shut his eyes against the garish colors but forced himself to look at Jack's delighted expression. "You… got me Christmas tie?"


	12. Chapter 12

There was a sprig of mistletoe over his front door.

Now, Ianto knew that he wasn't the one to put it there. He hadn't touched the plant in years, and yet it was hanging over the doorway into his kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom.

There was a sprig of mistletoe over his front door, and when he was kissed upon entering, Ianto knew exactly who to blame.

* * *

 There was mistletoe above the entrance to Jack's office.

Ianto strived to maintain a level of professionalism, but it was hard. Especially when he was dating his insatiable boss.

* * *

 

The moment mistletoe appeared in front of Janet's cell, Ianto put his foot down.

Well, he tried.

Jack was very convincing.


	13. Chapter 13

Ianto walked in from the kitchen, carrying two mugs, which he placed on the coffee table. Jack, on the couch, invitingly stuck out an arm. Smiling, Ianto took it and let himself be tugged down to sit next to Jack.

Jack placed a small kiss onto the side of his face and pulled the blankets tighter around them. With a serious expression, he looked at Ianto. "You're not getting up unless it's an emergency."

Ianto laughed.

"I'm serious." Jack leaned forward and took the mugs from the table. "We've been run off our feet enough."

Ianto took his mug from Jack with a lighthearted smile. "Good thing that's hot cocoa, then."

Jack took a sip, closing his eyes to savor the taste. "Yes, it's very good."

Digging out the remote from between two sofa cushions, Jack turned on the movie and snuggled closer to Ianto as the title credits scrolled across the screen.


	14. Chapter 14

Jack was mixing a pasta sauce when Ianto came up behind him. He didn't turn around but he shifted his attention off the food and onto the slightly spicy small coming from behind—it couldn't have been anything Ianto was holding, because he wasn't a big far of scented objects, so that must have been the new aftershave he was trying.

He smirked to himself as a small branch was dangled in from of him. "Thought you said it was too tacky?"

"I reconsidered." Behind him, Ianto sounded thoughtful.

Jack discreetly turned the sauce off the head. "Did you?"

"Yep."

Jack found himself turned around to face the teasing smile on Ianto's face. "Why?"

"You said you liked it." Gone was the thoughtful look, replaced by something more innocent and more sinful at the same time. "Besides, you had the plastic stuff that smelled like fake pine; this is the real thing."

"Is it?"

"Yes." Ianto pulled Jack closer with his free hand. "And who am I to argue with tradition?"


	15. Chapter 15

Gwen was at her workstation when Jack and Ianto came in. With them came a gust of wind, from the air-conditioned (even in Winter) hallways outside the cog door. She waved them a greeting, then went back to the form she was filling out on her computer.

Tosh and Owen, Jack and Ianto knew, were upstairs with the plants. They were just about to head up there, too, to view new information about alien plant adaptation, when they heard something.

Ianto stopped in his tracks, his hand on Jack's elbow, and they both turned around.

Gwen, oblivious, tapped her foot. "...I want a hippopotamus for Christmas… no dinky tinker toy… hippopotamus will do…"

Jack made to get over to her, but was thrown back by a large flash of light and energy. As the light dimmed, Gwen cried out.

"This is why…" Jack panted as he got back to his feet. "This is why we don't sing in the Hub."

"Why?"

"The Rift listens." Jack grinned, as if remembering something, then looked over to where Ianto was already on his phone with someone. "Why do you think there are so many hippos in the Cardiff Zoo?"


	16. Chapter 16

"Have you ever gone ice-skating?" It was the middle of the night and they'd gone to bed about thirty minutes previously. Jack whispered again, "It's nice… I like it."

"Ice-skating?" Ianto mumbled.

"Oh."

"What?"

"You're awake."

"You're talking."

"I'm sorry." Jack softly kissed Ianto's temple. "Just thinking aloud, I guess."

"Okay." Several minutes passed, and Jack was almost afraid to breathe for fear of waking Ianto up. Ianto shifted in his arms, but didn't open his eyes. "And I'd like it."

Jack started. "What?"

"Ice-skating. I'd like to go."

"I'll take you, then." Jack promised as Ianto made himself comfortable again. "Tomorrow."


	17. Chapter 17

"So when was the last time you went?" Ianto wondered as Jack wildly turned the car to follow the blowfish they were tracking.

"Went where?"

"Ice-skating."

"Twenty, thirty years ago." Jack shrugged as he swerved the SUV again. "Something like that. What about you?"

"Ten or fifteen." Ianto thought for a moment. "Yeah, something like that."

"Good thing they say it's just like riding a bike." He laughed and stopped the car.

"Very good thing," Ianto agreed. They drew their guns and approached the half-conscious alien. "So when do you want to go?"

"Let me think." Jack knocked it over the head and put it in handcuffs. He began leading it back to the car. "We can drop him off and head out, I think. It seems like an early evening."

They set off again in the direction of the Hub, and a small snowfall started over Cardiff.


	18. Chapter 18

Ianto hadn't been lying when he'd said he hadn't gone ice-skating in years. Neither had Jack, and he took comfort in the fact that he wouldn't be the only one bumbling about the ice in rented ice-skates. Of course, Jack was Jack, and he didn't do things by halves: he was either unnaturally good at something or unnaturally often.

"I don't like the color." Jack glared at his skates, then pouted. "They don't—"

"If you say they don't match, I'll slap you." Ianto put on his own skates, then stood up, testing his balance. "Besides, they're not that bad."

Jack sighed, but conceded. Ianto could tell he was worried about actually being able to skate, but he was one of the most dramatic people Ianto'd ever met.

"Come on," Jack said. He was already walking ahead of Ianto, who shook his head and followed.

They weren't the only couple—they'd reached that level of domesticity and normality when they'd decided to go ice-skating together—out that day. Ianto could see some teenagers, probably on their first date, slipping around into each other's' arms, and an older couple several feet away, skating like they'd done it all their lives.

Their hands linked, Ianto followed Jack onto the ice, hoping that it really _was_ just like riding a bicycle.


	19. Chapter 19

"So how's this Christmas thing going to work, then?" Owen asked as he ate. "'Cause it's already the 19th, and we've only been together two weeks."

"I… er… Christmas thing?" Tosh thought over the days they'd spent together over the past two weeks, trying to remember what he was talking about. "What Christmas thing?"

"You know, the holiday that's in five days. It's just… you said you don't have anyone to celebrate with, and neither do I, and I thought… we could… spend…" Owen frowned. "I'd never asked, have I?"

"No." Tosh giggled.

"Oh." He cleared his throat. "Do you, though? Want to spend Christmas with me, I mean. Would you?"

She chuckled again.

"Is that a yes?"

"Yeah." Tosh grinned. "Yes, it is."


	20. Chapter 20

"Rhys's parents are going to France for Christmas." Gwen smiled at Tosh as they ate. "Something about reconnecting over a roaring holiday fire."

Tosh snickered. "I assume you're happy because of the reconnecting, not because they're out of your hair?"

"Yes," Gwen smiled very seriously, "That's exactly it."

"So what are you and Rhys doing?"

"Same as his parents, probably." Gwen shrugged. "Although in Cardiff, not Paris. And in front of the telly, not a fireplace. Still, it's nice—being with family."

Tosh nodded. She took another cookie from the tin on the coffee table. She had plans for Christmas, too, but they weren't with Rhys.


	21. Chapter 21

"Christmas off," Jack announced several days before the holiday.

Gwen stared, confused. "What about the Rift?"

"London gets Christmas," Jack explained. "We take New Year's and the rest of the year, but sometimes the Rift is nice and we get it off, too."

"The Rift has a schedule?"

"Murphy's Law has a schedule." That was Ianto, just coming down from Jack's office with a stack of papers. "I suggest not question it. December 23rd, go home to Rhys, don't come back until the 26th."

Gwen beamed.

* * *

 

"So…" Jack casually walked over to Ianto, a smile on his face and his hands in his pockets. "Want to spend Christmas together?"

Ianto could see the uncertainty under the confidence of Jack's grin. He smiled. "Of course."


	22. Chapter 22

Andy struggled to balance the seven boxes he'd picked up off the shelf. It took him a minute, but he righted himself and headed to the checkout as if nothing had happened.

With the boxes bagged, Andy made his way out of the store to his car. He put the some of the bags in the back of the car and some in the passenger's seat, since most of his car was completely filled with other bags.

He looked through his mirror at the bags with a large, satisfied smile. He'd been out for the entire day, and now it was dark and cold outside. He had one more thing to buy—wrapping paper.


	23. Chapter 23

Andy met Ianto outside a pub. Had they not been facing each other, he doubted he'd have recognized him, what with Ianto being in jeans and a simple jacket. They were both walking towards the entrance, and Andy was just about to greet him.

"Hello, Constable."

Ianto had beat him to the punch, and Andy smiled. "Just Andy tonight. Hello." He gestured to the casual clothing. "Slow evening, then?"

"You could say that." Ianto chucked. "Christmastime's calm around here, I suppose we just take advantage of that."

"You meeting someone here, then?" Andy had noticed the extra-special but trying-to-be-normal grooming; he usually dealt with Ianto, so was familiar with his everyday looks.

Ianto laughed. "This isn't an interrogation!.. but, yes, I suppose I am."

"That's great!" Andy clapped him on the back as they entered. "Well, have fun then!"

"Thank you." Ianto turned and began to walk in the direction of an occupied table.

"And happy holidays!"

"You, too, Andy!" Ianto turned his head, smiled at him, then sat down, now smiling at the man Andy recognized at the Captain.


	24. Chapter 24

They'd gotten the day off. They always of it off because the Rift was never active on Christmas. They always spent it together, but this year, Owen had insisted on taking her to a restaurant in the heart of the city instead of one of the pubs they usually went to. She'd gotten dressed up and he'd worn a suit to pick her up.

They were walking from the restaurant to Owen's car when Owen stopped in his tracks and stared at the sky. "That's…"

"...Santa," Tosh, wide-eyed, finished for him.

It turned out that the Rift didn't take Christmas Eve off, but maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.


	25. Chapter 25

Ianto slept in on Christmas morning. He was probably the only person that did, but he saw it as an owed gift. Jack, on the other hand, woke up as early as he could.

The sun wasn't even up—although that wasn't saying much, considering that it was winter—and he was already dressed. He looked over at a sleeping Ianto and decided that trying to wake him up was a Very Bad Idea.

Grabbing a spare blanket from the bed, Jack padded off to the living room. He sat down on the couch, so he was facing the tree he and Ianto had put up, and turned on the TV to fill up the space.

He settled in and waited for the sun to come up, for Ianto to wake up, and for their Christmas together to begin.


	26. Chapter 26

It was December 9th when Jack decided to spend Christmas with Ianto.

It was December 10th that Ianto was made aware of the fact.

On December 13th, Jack started asking for a tree.

On the 14th, Ianto said it was too early.

On the 15th, Jack said ten days was not too early.

On the 16th, Ianto offered a plastic tree.

Jack forgave him on the 18th.

On the 20th, they cut down a tree, putting it up on the 21st and decorating it on the 22nd.

On the 25th, they kissed under it to the sound of festive music from the outside.

On the 26th, they woke up together, tangled under the sheets and ridiculously happy.


	27. Chapter 27

"Merry Christmas, Tosh." Owen turned around from the tree they'd haphazardly put together, holding out a sloppily-wrapped present. With an uncharacteristically shy smile, he watched as she took it. "It's, er, it's your present… obviously."

The garish paper—a Valentine's Day pattern, but in holiday colors—was shiny, and crinkled when she turned the present over in her hand. Tosh smiled at the effort that Owen had obviously put into the wrapping; it was so much neater than anything else she'd seen him do. "Yours is… yeah, that one."

He held hers just as she held his—gingerly, almost with disbelief—and smiled widely. "Thanks, Tosh."

They opened them several minutes later, with soft smiles and awkward laughs, because they'd only been together for several weeks, but here they were… celebrating Christmas together.

It was odd, sure, a bit out of order, but they were exactly where they needed to be.


	28. Chapter 28

Tosh's teeth chattered. She resisted the urge to go back to her flat and get a warmer jacket—they were only three streets away from it, but it would take upwards of ten minutes to do that—and instead pressed closer to Owen.

He wasn't wearing an appropriate jacket, either, but despite his stringiness, he had more body heat than she did.

"Cold?" he asked.

"A bit." Tosh had taken the precaution of knitted tights and a sweater, but December was fully underway and she could tell that it would start snowing soon.

"More than a bit, I'd say." He grinned and put an arm around her. "You're shivering hard enough to cause an earthquake!"

"We're almost there," she pointed out, already seeing the pub they were heading to.

He nodded. They'd only gone out for the past few days, the relationship being still in its new stage, but maybe they'd stay in tomorrow. He held her closer as the wind picked up, looking forward to the evening's adventure and already planning the next day.


	29. Chapter 29

Jack hung their coats on the coat-rack near the door, then pulled out Ianto's chair for him. He smiled at Ianto's raised eyebrow; he could be ridiculously gallant at the most random times. He'd brought a flower once, too, to put in Ianto's buttonhole, only to learn that the particular suit jacket didn't have a buttonhole.

He'd made sure that the restaurant had a fireplace—he had the strangest obsession with them during the holidays, seeking a sort of comfort from the warmth—and had gotten a table near it.

"This is really nice, Jack," Ianto said as they began looking at the menus.

"I'm glad." Jack beamed. "Now… I'm thinking traditional dinner, followed by some cake—no, pie, they do a really good apple pie—and hot chocolate."

"Sounds good to me."


	30. Chapter 30

"Last day before the new year," Jack commented casually, leaning back on the pillows.

"Last day before the last day before the new year," Ianto corrected.

"Pedantic."

"Correct." Ianto pointed to the clock. "It's the 30th."

"It's the 31st in ten minutes! And the 31st isn't even a proper day!" Jack pouted. "People just run around, trying to do everything they hadn't done… it's stressful and it usually doesn't even pay off."

"It's the last normal day, yes." He joined Jack in the bed. "And as it's the last normal day, I say we spend it doing absolutely nothing?"

" _You_?"

"What?"

"Doing absolutely nothing?"

"Well, why not?" Ianto shrugged. "For all I know, the world's going to end tomorrow. Why not make the most of it?"

Jack chuckled softly—Ianto wouldn't have been saying that if he hadn't been so tired, and they probably wouldn't do that the next day. Ianto's sentiment of doing absolutely nothing and making the most of it seemed pointless, given the time, but he was right.

Jack put an arm around him and softly kissed him; maybe it would go nowhere and they'd fall asleep immediately, and maybe it would go somewhere and they'd end the year with a bang.


	31. Chapter 31

The crowded pub that the Torchwood team had run into—they'd just stopped an alien invasion, and had completely forgotten about the holiday—began counting down.

 _Ten_.

Jack looked around for Ianto; he'd been getting drinks, and it was too crowded.

 _Nine_.

Oh, there he was. Heading right toward Jack, laughing as Owen—who had been walking next to him—hurried off to find Tosh.

_Eight._

Sure, it wasn't an ideal location to bring in the New Year, what with the loud music and the drunk, overly affectionate patrons.

_Seven._

But it would have to do.

_Six._

Jack gathered Ianto closer to himself, perfectly positioning his arms around him, and letting Ianto return the gesture.

_Five._

Ianto smiled at him.

_Four._

Jack smiled back.

_Three._

They leaned in.

_Two._

The bell tolled.

_One._

And Jack welcomed the New Year by doing what he did best; what he loved doing most of all.


End file.
